Closure for squeeze tubes, bottles and other containers



N. WALDSTEIN July 6, 1965 CLOSURE FOR SQUEEZE TUBES, BOTTLES AND OTHER CONTAINERS Filed 001;. 26, 1961 BY 41740101 4 r2597, zea fJbr/zw United States Patent O 2 Claims. oi. 222417 The present invention relates to a closure for squeeze tubes, bottles, and other containers for liquid, viscous, powdered or granular substances, which closure can be alternately opened and closed,

A good closure of this kind must meet the following requirements.

(a) The closing element of the closure must be in tight engagement with the seating element in the closed position of the former.

(b) An unintended opening of the closure must not be possible.

(c) It must be possible to open and close the closure with a single, simple movement.

(d) It must be possible to open and close the closure with the same hand which holds the container and without requiring the assistance of the other hand.

(e) The closure should not comprise parts which are detached when the closure is opened and which, for this reason, may be lost or misplaced.

(f) When the closure is open, the outlet opening must be completely exposed and the access thereto must not be obstructed by overlying parts.

(g) The closure must be rugged.

(h) It must be inexpensive.

The previously known closures of this kind do not meet all these requirements at the same time. It is an object of the invention to eliminate this disadvantage.

Just as other known closures of its kind, the present closure comprises at least the following elements:

(a) A seating part formed with a discharge passage therethrough. The seating part may be integrally or nonintegrally connected with the container.

(b) A cap which is movably connected to the seating part and which has a concave seating face which is seated on a convex portion of the seating part. In the closed position the cap covers the outlet opening of the discharge passage. To open the closure, this cap must be moved laterally to reveal the outlet opening of the discharge passage. The other parts of the closure constrain the cap to move in a path which lies almost in a plane extending through the discharge passage.

() At least one spring which holds the cap and seating part together. This spring may consist of a resilient bail;

which may be framelike, U-shaped or of dilferent shape; or of a tension spring arranged like a bail; or of two tension springs disposed on opposite sides of the seating part; or of a leaf spring; or any other suitable spring. The spring acts on the seating part and on the cap; and when the cap is in the closed position, the spring forces the cap against its seat on the seating part. When the cap is being moved to the open position, the spring is pivotally moved about its point of engagement with the seating part.

In certain known closures of this kind, the closure can be opened by a movement of the cap to either side of the 7 closed position.

For this purpose it is a main proposal of the invention to provide a closure in which the cap can be laterally moved from the closed position in one direction only rather than in either of two directions; and furthermore, in the closed position, the spring urges the cap not only against its seat on the seating part, but also in the direction which is opposed to the direction of the opening movement.

This feature of the invention and those features which will be set forth hereinafter will be explained with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings, although these embodiments are not exhaustive regarding the designs of the closure which are within the scope of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the closure in the position in which the discharge passage is exposed.

FIG. 2 shows the same closure in closed position.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of arrows 22.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view taken in the direction of the center line of a squeeze tube and shows a seating part having a laterally opening outlet duct.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the closure.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the closure in the closed position.

FIG. 7 shows the embodiment of FIG. 6 in open position.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a discharge passage 1 is formed in a spherical seating part 2 with a convex spherical top portion 2a. The seating part 2 is integral with the container 3 consisting of a squeeze tube. The cap 4 is provided with a handle 15 and has a hollow-spherical concave seating surface engageable with the convex spherical top portion 2a of the seating part 2. The cap is connected to the seating part and urged against the same in all possible positions by a spring 5, which consists in this example of a framelike bail having arcuate side members. The resilient bail constrains the cap to move to and fro along the outer periphery of the seating part in the plane of the drawing of FIGS. 1 and 2. The bail pivotally engages the cap at 7 and is pivotally moved by the latter about its point of pivotal engagement 8 with the seating part. During its closing movement, the cap cannot be moved beyond the position in which the discharge passage is closed (FIG. 2) because it engages a stop in this position. In the present example this stop is formed by a stop face 6 of the seating part. Thus, the cap is at an end position of its path when the closure is closed. To expose the discharge passage, the cap can be shifted only in one direction, which is counterclockwise in FIG. 2.

With reference to FIG. 4, the seating part 2 of the squeeze tube 3 has a laterally opening discharge passage 1. Spring 5a consists here of an arcuate leaf spring, which pivotally engages the cap at 7 and is pivotally moved about its point of engagement 8 with the seating part. When the cap 4 is rotated in the clockwise direction to cover the discharge passage 1, the spring 5a abuts the seating part 2 at 6, to prevent further clockwise rotation. Thus, when in the closed position, the cap can be moved only in one direction (counterclockwise) to open the closure. counterclockwise rotation may continue until the cap reaches the stop 9.

The force required to open the cap 7 of this invention must overcome two distinct forces. The resilient bail 5, FIG. 2, is arranged to urge the cap in its closed position not only against its seat on the seating part, but also against the stop face 5 in the direction opposite to the opening direction. In addition to the frictional force, therefore, there is a force acting to maintain the cap against the stop face 6.

This dual function of the spring is provided by an appropriate arrangement of the two points 7 and 8.

'part while the tangential component D urges The path followed by point7 (see FIG. 2, reference character =B) during the opening movement of the cap is a counterclockwise movement which describes an arc of a circlewhich is concentricwith the spherical seating 'part 2. The force exerted by the resilient bail onthe cap 4 acts in thedirection of a straight line connecting the two points of engagement of the bail (see FIG. 2, reference character E). However, due to the offset location of point 8, this straight line does not coincide with an imaginary straight line drawn between the point 7 and the center of curvature A of the are described by the moving cap 4. Thus, there is an imaginary angleO comprising the line of force E ofthe bail 5 and the line drawn between the point 7 and the "center of curvature A of the moving cap 4, with the vertex of the angle being at the point 7. I

v As a result of this angle the force E of spring 5 is bail passes through the center of curvature of the moving path (and of the spherical seating part) sothat the-tangential component of force becomes zero. Before this position-isrreached however, the path' of movement of 'in the 'clockwise (closing) direction.

the point 7 leads continuously away from the point where the bail engages the seating part, consequently increasingtension of the bail 5 which attempts to rotate the cap When the movementproceeds beyond this point, and until the cap hasreached the position shown in FIG. 1,

r the distance between the points 7 and the pivotal axis 8 resolved into two components; namely, the tensile com- I ponent P which coincides with the line drawn between point 7 and thecenter of curvature A of the arc described by the moving cap, and a tangential componentDjwhich is perpendicular to the tensile component'F. The tensile of the spring is decreased as wellas the stress of the.

spring. Conversely, when the cap is being closed, the spring is restressed in this part of, the path and tends to hold back the cap. 7 7

At least in apart of this portion of the path, this effect .can also be obtained with a closure having a non-spherical seating part if the spring andthe mating portions of the cap andseating part are so shaped and arranged that durcomponent F urges the'cap against its seat on the seating the cap toward the stop face 6. I

The ratio between these two components, namely, the

Asxa rule,

ing themovement of the cap from the closed position toward the open position, the point-where the spring en-. gages the cap is initially moved away from and then, at least during a part of the further movement, approaches,

- the point where the spring engages the seating part.

When it is desired to obtain this action of the spring a when the cap is'being opened, it is not merely suflicient to arrange the points of action of the spring so that the previously indicated requirement of the creation of an angle is fulfilled; but also the point. Where the spring engages the seating part must be at a certain distance from that side wall 'of the seating part. In a seating part which is spherical, or has any of various other shapes,

' this requires that the point where the spring engages the Forthis reason the seating force component exerted tial component of the spring force. sired difference between the magnitudes of. these two components, the smaller must be'the aforementioned imaginary angle 0.. The desired ratio between these two i y he spring on the cap must be larger than the tange'n- The greater the de components may be obtained byan appropriate arrange-- ment and proper selection of the spring. V The tangential component of spring force, which oposes the'opening.movementshould not only reliably retain the cap in its closed position, but should continue seating part be laterally spaced from the outlet opening 0f the discharge passage and disposed on that half of the seating part which is opposite to the side toward which the cap is pushed to openthev closure.

In an alternative. design of the closure, the cap no longer engages the periphery of the seating part when the closure is open, but is held spaced from the periphery of the seating part by the bail, which isthen relaxed. This is shown in FIG. 5. 1 I .A seating part whichflis entirely of spherical shape has the advantage that the discharge passage will also be to act'during a certain part of the opening movement. For this reason the aforementioned angle must continue;

to exist during at least a certain part of the movement of the cap. As long as the cap'is sliding on the seating part, the path of movement will be determined 'by'the surface configuration of these two parts. The aforeclosed when the positionfof the cap differs to some extent from the normal closed position in any direction of the spherical surface, even in direction transverse to the plane of motion ofthe normal opening movement. vThe spherical shape has the disadvantage'that a seating part of this shape; cannot be removed from an undivided forming tool sothat the tool must be more complicated and mentioned angle (and in particular the offset location of the point 8) causes the point 7 where thespring engages the cap to move away from the point'S where the spring engages the seating part. Thus, inorder to ensure that the spring continues to oppose the opening movement at least-during, a part thereof, the spring and mating surface the manufacture is more expensive. Itis basically sufliclent to give the seating .part such a 'shape that its top surface portion which immediately surrounds the discharge passage and'mates with they cap in the closed position hasrthe shape of a solid of revolution having a curved, convex'generatmx whereas the remaining portions 1 of the seating part mayhave a' different shape.i For inportions of the capand seating part must be so shaped and arrangedthat an opening movement of the cap will initially cause the point 7 where the spring engages the cap to move away from the point, 8 where the spring engages theseating part. 1 a

This requirement is fulfilled,e.g., in the closure shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. During theopeningmovement of the cap the resilient bail is caused to perform a, pivotal movement about the point wherethe'bail engages the'seating part. The line'which connects the two points of engage;

ment of the bail will'then gradually approach the center of curvature of the path of. rotation, which center of curvature remains stationary. The. said. angle between the direction of the force exerted'bythe bail'and the'li'ne between the point 7 and the. center of curvature ofthe; path of rotation vis continuously reduced untiliitbecomes zero at the point where the direction of the force ofthe;

stance, the top surface portion of the seating part surrounding the 'disch'arge'passage may form a portion of an ellipsoid, paraboloi d' or the like ormay form a portion of the. surface -of a henrisphere,.which is adjoined by a portion of cylindrical or conical or other shape.

Such 'a closureis shown in FIGS. 6 and 7; In these figures a' squeeze tube 3 is shown, which is integralwith the seating part 2. A cap 4 is provided, which is pivot- :ally connected to the seating part by a resilient bail 5b in theform of an' angled frame. In this closure thecap in its closed position'will engage two stop faces 6. The

top surface portion of the'seating part'immediately. sur rounding the discharge passage is spherically curved to match-the concave surface of cap 4, while as can be seen by FIG. 6, v the lower portion of the seating part is cylindrical 2in shape In an alternative design of the seating part, (see FIG. 5) that surface portion thereof which directly surrounds the discharge passage 1 has approximately the shape of the peripheral surface of a frustum of a cone, while the lower portion of the seating part is cylindrical in shape. Whereas the frustoconical top is more sensitive regarding its sealing properties to small displacements of the cap from its desired closed position, such displacements will be corrected by the pressure of the spring which forces the cap to the correct central position.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show also a practical embodiment of the seating part. This embodiment is based on the design that the external shape of the seating part corresponds approximately to an upright solid of revolution of cylindrical or conical or difierent shape, with a top surface portion generally convex similar to a hemisphere or a frustum of a cone (with the exception of stops, and of the point of connection of the spring, and the outlet of the discharge passage). This solid of revolution has a cut-out side portion which is replaced by a parallelepiped. FIG. 6 shows that the top of the seating part is almost perfectly hemispherical and is continued by a half cylinder on the side which is on the left of FIG. 6 and by a parallelepiped on the right side. The diameter of the half cylinder and the width of the side of the parallelepiped adjoining it are equal to the diameter of the generally spherical top portion of the seating part. The seating part has such a height that the cap in open position will not overlie the mouth of the discharge passage and will not obstruct the access to it. The same applies to the two stops, which are disposed on that portion of the parallelepiped which is not overlain by the spherically curved top portion.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another feature of the invention. As distinguished from the preceding examples of FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5, in which one end of the spring pivotally penetrates into the cap, the point where the spring engages the cap is now on the surface of the cap. On its side facing away from the seating part, the cap has at least one recess which may be continuous or interrupted and may have the shape of a groove or of a step, or a different shape, and in which that end of the spring which acts on the cap is pivotally inserted. Such an arrangement may be adopted in all cases in which the closure is designed so that the cap is urged against the seating part by the spring in all positions of the cap so that the spring cannot escape from the recess 10. Because the cap must always cause the spring to move with it, it is sufi'icient to provide the recess in the form of a step if the spring is supported on one side, e.g., by the handle of the cap.

Under the same conditions, the point where the spring engages the seating part may also be disposed on the outside surface of the seating part. In this case the seating part has, on the half opposite to the side toward which the cap is pushed to open the closure, at least one recess 11, which may be continuous or interrupted and may have the shape of a groove or of a step, and in which that end of the spring which engages the seating part is pivotally inserted. This recess or these recesses may be disposed on that side wall of the seating part which belongs to this half or, in seating parts which are subsequently applied to the container, on that side of the seating part which faces the container (at 11 in FIG. 5).

Either or both of the two points for engagement by the spring may be formed by two recesses which are disposed in a row and each of which pivotally receives one wire end of the spring consisting of a bail. In seating parts which are subsequently applied to the container, the point for pivotal engagement by the spring may be entirely or partly formed by the neck of the container to which the spring applies, e.g., below the seating part proper, as is shown in FIG. 5, where the seating part has been applied to the container. In this case the seating part is considered to include the neck portion engaged by the spring.

The insertion of the spring from the outside, e.g., into a groove or step, has the advantage that a spring consisting, for example, of a bail need not be deformed during the assembly of the closure to enable it to be placed in an opening in the seating part or in the cap. In addition, the entire closure shown, e.g., in FIG. 6, differs in the number of parts from the usual closures only by the additional spring so that it is inexpensive in spite of its superior technical qualities.

The closure may embody one or more of the features of the invention set forth hereinbefore. Within the scope of the invention the closure may have a design which diflers from the foregoing disclosure. Parts may be added, such as resilient gaskets where particular high sealing requirements are to be fulfilled, or means for locking the cap in closed position, such as a pin which is arranged for screwed adjustment in the cap and which can be introduced into the discharge passage or urge a resilient insert into the outlet opening of the discharge passage, etc.

What is claimed is:

1. A.closure for a container, which comprises:

(a) a seating part formed with a discharge passage having an outlet opening, said seating part having a convex portion surrounding said outlet opening;

(b) a cap having a concave inside closing surface engageable with the convex portion of said seating part in at least a closed position of said cap;

(0) a stop means for preventing movement of the cap relative to the seating part when the cap is in its closed position, other than in a predetermined opening direction along a laterally directed arcuate path;

((1) means connecting the cap to the seating part for sliding movement of the cap over the convex portion of the seating part in said laterally directed arcuate path, said means comprising:

(1) a bail-like tension spring engaging said seating part and said cap and exerting a tensile force on the seating part and on the cap when in said closed position;

(2) a first connecting means pivotally securing the tension spring to the cap, and

(3) a second connecting means pivotally securing the tension spring to the seating part at a point laterally spaced from a first imaginary line extending from said first connecting means, when disposed in the position correspondingto the closed position of said cap, to the center of curvature of that portion of said arcuate path which corresponds to the beginning of the opening movement of the cap, and so positioned that a second imaginary line extending from said second connecting means to said first connecting means, when the latter is disposed in the position corresponding to the closed position of the cap, passes between said stop means and said center of curvature of the arcuate path.

2. A container, which comprises:

(a) a hollow body;

(b) a seating part formed with a discharge passage communicating with the interior of the hollow body and having an outlet opening, said seating part including a convex portion directly surrounding said outlet opening;

(0) a cap having a concave inside closing surface engageable with the convex portion of said seating part in at least a closed position of said cap;

(d) a stop means for preventing movement of the cap relative to the seating part when the cap is in its closed position, other than in a predetermined opening direction along a laterally directed arcuate path;

(e) means connecting the cap to the seating part for sliding movement of the cap over the convex por- (1) a bail-like tension spring engaging said seat ing part and said cap and exerting a tensile force on the seating part and 'on the cap when in said 0nd connecting means to' sai'd first connecting means, when the latter is disposed'in theposition corresponding to the closed position of the cap, passes between said stop means and said center of curvature of the arcuate path;

closed position; 7 I s (2) a first connecting means pivotally securing the tension spring to the cap, and s (3), a second connecting means pivotally securing 7, References Cited by the Examiner 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 1,771,545 7/30' Melvin 222-558 X the tension spring to the seating part at a point 19,

laterally spaced from a first imaginary line exv V 82 :2 t al 222 558 tending from said first connecting means, when 2O29065 1/36 F r e 222558 disposed in the position corresponding to the ar f closed'position of said cap to the center, of cur- 2O41488 5/36 Robhnson 222 558 2,579,156 12/51 Parvis, II. 222493 vature of that portion of said arcuate path which 15 7 corresponds to thevbeginningvof the opening I CJ J DEMBO Primary miner movement of the cap, and so positioned that a e second imaginary line extending from said sec- LAVERNE GEIGER, Examiner- 

1. A CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER, WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A SEATING PART FORMED WITH A DISCHARGE PASSAGE HAVING AN OUTLET OPENING, SAID SEATING PART HAVING A CONVEX PORTION SURROUNDING SAID OUTLET OPENING; (B) A CAP HAVING A CONCAVE INSIDE CLOSING SURFACE ENGAGEABLE WITH THE CONVEX PORTION OF SAID SEATING PART IN AT LEAST A CLOSED POSITION OF SAID CAP; (C) A STOP MEANS FOR PREVENTING MOVEMENT OF THE CAP RELATIVE TO THE SEATING PART WHEN THE CAP IS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION, OTHER THAN IN A PREDETERMINED OPENING DIRECTION ALONG A LATERALLY DIRECTED ARCUATE PATH; (D) MEANS CONNECTING THE CAP TO THE SEATING PART FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT OF THE CAP OVER THE CONVEX PORTION OF THE SEATING PART IN SAID LATERALLY DIRECTED ARCUATE PATH, SAID MEANS COMPRISING: (1) A BAIL-LIKE TENSION SPRING ENGAGING SAID SEATING PART AND SAID CAP AND EXERTING A TENSILE FORCE ON THE SEATING PART AND ON THE CAP WHEN IN SAID CLOSED POSITION; (2) A FIRST CONNECTING MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURING THE TENSION SPRING TO THE CAP, AND (3) A SECOND CONNECTING MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURING THE TENSION SPRING TO THE SEATING PART AT A POINT LATERALLY SPACED FROM A FIRST IMAGINARY LINE EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST CONNECTING MEANS, WHEN DISPOSED IN THE POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THE CLOSED POSITION OF SAID CAP, TO THE CENTER OF CURVATURE OF THAT PORTION OF SAID ARCUATE PATH WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE BEGINNING OF THE OPENING MOVEMENT OF THE CAP, AND SO POSITIONED THAT A SECOND IMAGINARY LINE EXTENDING FROM SAID SECOND CONNECTING MEANS TO SAID FIRST CONNECTING MEANS, WHEN THE LATTER IS DISPOSED IN THE POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THE CLOSED POSITION OF THE CAP, PASSES BETWEEN SAID STOP MEANS AND SAID CENTER OF CURVATURE OF THE ARCUATE PATH. 